A Friend Becomes Enemy

 A Friend Becomes Enemy

In CE 1862, there was a dispute between Punakha Dzongpon Darlung Tobgay and Desi Nagzi Pasang. Punakha Dzongpon Darlung Tobgay asked for help from Trongsa Penlop Jigme Namgyal and Jakar Penlop Tsundroe Gyaltshen. Trongsa Penlop Jigme Namgyal and Jakar Penlop joined with Punakha Dzongpon.

Trongsa Penlop Jigme Namgyal replaced Nagzi Pasang with Tshewang Sither as the 48th Druk Desi, while Darlung Tobgay was granted his wish to become Wangdue Dzongpon.

In CE 1869, there was a conflict between Punakha Dzongpon Drang Tashi (former Wangdue Dzongpon Sigay) on one side, and Thimphu Dzongpon Kawang Mangkhel and Wangdue Dzongpon Darlung Tobgay on the other. Although Trongsa Penlop Jigme Namgyal had retired from the post of Trongsa Penlop and was living at Wangdue Choling, Bumthang, Punakha Dzongpon Drang Tashi requested Jigme Namgyal to support him and his party to fight against the troops of Darlung Tobgay, who had installed Kawang Mangkhel as Thimphu Dzongpon after killing Khesar Tobgay.

Gongsa Jigme Namgyal joined Punakha Dzongpon Drang Tashi’s men and put an end to Darlung Tobgay and his nephew at Wangdue Phodrang. On Gongsa’s arrival in Thimphu, Kawang Mangkhel stepped down from the post of Thimphu Dzongpon, and his brother Lam Tshewang became the next Thimphu Dzongpon.

Sources

1.      Course Book for Class X (1997)

2.      Civics and Citizenship Education for Class VIII (2021)